Intelligent CAD aS an Interface to ThermaI Simulation Programs

摘要

Thermal simulation programs for buildings have been available for many years. They vary from simple methods that can bernperformed at the sketch design stage using a spreadsheet through to sophisticated dynamic thermal simulations requiringrnmainframe computers. However, these methods are not widely used by building designers during the early stages of designrnwhen the most important decisions are made. Explanations for this are that the preparation of the data can be time consumingrnand few building designers are confident in interpreting the results of the simulations. One method to encourage designers tornuse thermal simulation tools 4 to incorporate these tools in the drawing environment that they use. Simulation programs willrnthen be seen as part of the design process rather than an appendix.rnThis paper describes a research project, TES (Thermal Expert System), that integrates the graphical methods with whichrnbuilding designers are comfortable and thermal simulation tools. Work is currently restricted to detached houses. The userrninterface is based on an intelligent CAD system which only requires the designer to enter the features of the building whichrndifferentiate it from an archetype. The major task in developing this system was the implementation of the intelligent databasern(knowledge base) representing the building. This knowledge base had to store information informs that were suitable forrninteractive manipulation by the user and provides the information required for the thermal simulations. The integration of anrnintelligent CAD interface with thermal simulation programs allows thermal analyses to be more easily carried out whilerndesigning a building and provides either detailed or non-technical information as requested by the user.